Eastern Washington University Athletics

Derek Kennedy joined the Eastern Washington University Athletic Performance staff in 2026 as the Associate Director of Football Performance. In this role, Kennedy works directly with multiple EWU programs to develop and implement year-round athletic performance programs while using performance technology to support training decisions and player development.

Prior to Eastern Washington, Kennedy worked at West Texas A&M University in athletic performance and sport science roles. As a graduate assistant athletic performance coach, he worked primarily with men’s soccer and men’s golf while assisting with football, baseball, and track and field. During his time with the men’s soccer program, the Buffs maintained greater than 95% player availability while winning both a conference regular-season championship and conference tournament championship. He later worked with the West Texas A&M football program in a sport science role integrating performance technologies and analytics into the training process.

Kennedy is currently pursuing his doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in Strength and Conditioning at Concordia University, St. Paul. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.